The Prince's Mayday Network

Nomura - Award-winning building with a small environmental footprint

Introduction

We were delighted that Nomura was able to host BITC's Environment Knowledge Swap in November. The pride the business has for the work it is doing to improve the local environment and minimise impacts was hugely apparent and make it the perfect setting for our event.

 

Nomura has a corporate commitment to spread the word; to tell staff, clients and peers in the financial industry about the value of benefiting the environment and reducing negative business impact. Nomura staff can participate in many ways to improve the business performance and are not only encouraged with things such as recycling, saving energy and resources but also supported with activities that are of great benefit to their health and wellbeing too, such as reducing their taxi journeys by walking and cycling to the client and using video conference systems to reduce the number of long hour journeys.

Process

Relevance:

These initiatives are not beyond the capability of any organisation, some at no cost to replicate such as active travel, some a minimum investment such as recycling bins which pay for themselves in reduced waste costs, or simply a matter of scale – 25 bicycle racks instead of 250 for instance.  It doesn’t all have to happen at the same time, plan initiatives, communicate and consult, listen to feedback, adapt to change and publicise successes.

What and How:

The environmental message is taken throughout the organisation by a number of innovative routes including inviting employees to visit the beehives on the green roof, to learn about how they pollinate plants across the City and understand how these plants and the sedum roof improves air quality. 

At the end of the Environment Knowledge Swap 20 of the delegates were privileged to be taken on a tour of Nomura's building and see some of these initiatives in action: 

• The Green Roof – sedum laid roof with two bee hives, this generated a lot of interest in both installing sedum and hosting beehives, some delegates have since been in contact for how to bring these to their own workplaces
• Trading Floor – LED lighting and water cooled desks. The LEDs are low energy, long living and produce an even level of light across the workplace. Delegates were intrigued by the water cooled desks which remove heat from computer equipment at source under the desk, this removes the heat load from conventional air conditioning systems providing a comfortable temperature to work in.
• Bicycle parking – with over 250 cycle racks in the basement, ample locker and shower facilities, and a free towel service, the cyclists amongst the group were suitably impressed